Christmas on the street, in Santiago, Chile

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The experience of the Youth for a United World, in teamwork with the community of the Focolare of the area, for a profound sharing with those who suffer the most.

“Today too, Jesus is born in this square in the periphery of Santiago. Every year we celebrate Christmas with our friends who live on the street or maybe those who have no one to celebrate with. It is beautiful to see young people, adults and children who share together and who sit at the same table without looking at differences.

This time there were many migrants, especially those who came from Perù in search of work, and with many children, but their situation was not too good. Others came from the regions of Chile that were struck by the earthquake of 2010 and who are still waiting for a home. Some have just begun this “journey” in the streets and are discouraged: for example, Nelson left home 3 months ago, his wife doesn’t want to have anything to do with him because he is a drunkard; at table we talk, and he shared that he was very sad and missed his family. Loreto invites him to believe once more and to have faith, it’s Christmas! And she offers him help.

The next day Nelson goes to the “Early Times Cottage” [an apartment where some of the gen boys and youth of the Focolare Movement live together to make an experience in the light of the Gospel, following the example of Chiara Lubich and the first focolarinas, ndr]. There he is able to take a bath, shave, and he receives a pair of pants and a nice shirt as a gift from one of the youth, and then, with one of us, he goes to the house of his wife. The joy of his daughter upon seeing her father is uncontainable. We explain the situation to his wife, who, after some time, agrees to start again and they remain together the whole afternoon. In the evening we accompany Nelson to the “Hogar de Cristo” (The Home of Christ). There the rules are precise: “Zero” alcohol, and he agrees to this. Now we must work as a team, we have to help one another, but Baby Jesus brought us this gift and many others, which push us to be the arms of His Love so that he may arrive everywhere.

There is no doubt that a united world is possible, all it takes is for us to do everything we can to discover together what to do to realize it”.

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